Martin Parnell Finish the Race Attitude

Next Events:

Cook Islands Quest 100 (Quest #4)

• Friday Sept. 21st 2012

• Location: Rarotonga, Cook Islands, Pacific Ocean

TriOil-Soccer Quest 42 (Quest #5)

• Friday Oct. 5th to Sunday Oct. 7th 2012
  

• Location: Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, Cochrane, Alberta
  

Over the years I've played many sports but at the age of three I received one of the greatest gifts a child could have: A soccer ball. I have vivid memories of building goal posts made out of pieces of aluminum tubing we found in the local dump. My friends Patrick, Vernon and myself carted this stuff back to my house and we tapped the sections together. Then we found some garden netting and draped it over the back. Voila, a goal was made. Many an evening was spent kicking the ball around. Afternoon turned to evening and out would come the flash lights.

My next memory is going to watch my local soccer team Plymouth Argyle. The city of Plymouth was only 20 miles from where I lived but at the age of 11 taking the bus the Home Park, Argyles ground, was a big adventure. Most times it was raining and the highlight was having a hot cup of tea and a Cornish pasty at half time. The biggest game I ever watched was when the Brazilian champions, Santos, came to town. Over 37,000 watched as Pele took the pitch. It was an amazing game in which incredibly Plymouth won 3-2. I only found out later that Santos had threatened not to come out on to the field for the second half unless their appearance fee was increased.

I kept playing through my teens, in Camborne, Cornwall and into my early twenties, in Kimberley, BC and Pine Point, NWT. Then I stopped. I took a thirty year break until last week when I put my boots back on.

The reason I pulled out these mouldy soccer shoes and polished them up again is that in early October, I will be participating in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the longest game of 5-a-side soccer. This event will be the fifth Quest in my "Quests for Kids" initiative. I'm trying to complete 10 Quests in 5 years, raising $1m for Right To Play and help 20,000 kids. So far I have Guinness World Records in netball and lacrosse but it's going to be great to play a game that I'm familiar with.

I headed out a week ago and played for over an hour with members of the Cochrane Rangers men's rec league. We finished the evening with a pick up game against the women's team. Just like many years ago, it was getting dark by the time we wrapped up. Some things never change.

Quote of the Day

"Though we live in trying times, we're the ones who have to try. Though we know that time has wings, we're the ones who have to fly."

Neil Peart

The original program from the Plymouth vs Santos game, March 14th, 1973.

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Next Events:

Cook Islands Quest 100 (Quest #4)

• Friday Sept. 21st 2012

• Location: Rarotonga, Cook Islands, Pacific Ocean

Marathon Quest: Book launch

• Saturday, Sept. 29th 2012. 1pm to 4pm.

• Location: Bentley's Books, Cochrane, Alberta

TriOil-Soccer Quest 42 (Quest #5)

• Friday Oct. 5th 6.00pm to Sunday Oct. 7th noon 2012
  

• Location: Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, Cochrane, Alberta
  

Monday, September 3^rd was Labour Day and a public holiday. However, for me, there was no holiday and lots of labour. It started at 8.00am when Sue and I headed over to Nose Hill Park in the North West of Calgary. Jason Webb from Downunder travel had organised a "Back to School" fun run in aid of Right To Play. There was a 5km and 10km race and one of the big attractions was that Jason was putting up a trip for two to the Cook Islands as a prize. All registrants had their name put in the draw and for every $50 they fund raised they had another chance to win.

I had originally planned to run the 10km but I switched to the 5km as I had to get back to Cochrane by 10.30am to participate in the Labour Day Parade. We arrived at the parking lot at Nose Hill and made our way to the registration tent where I met Jason. Jason has been a huge supporter of Right To Play ever since I met him at Netball Quest 61 back in September 2011. In April, he was a sponsor for Lacrosse Quest 24 and in a weeks time six of us are heading to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. This will be the location of my fourth Quest and I will attempt to run around the island three times and complete 100kms.

Back to the start line at Nose Hill and it's 9.00am. The gun goes off and the 10 km group head off. Fifteen minutes later I'm lined up with the 5 km runners and we're off. It is definitely an "undulating" course. Some even called it "rolling". I thought it was a blast.

I came in at a very solid 27mins 51secs. Not bad for an old fella. After a quick drink of water we said goodbye to everyone and headed back to Cochrane.

The reason I was so keen to get back was the fact that Cochrane Toyota had a chuck wagon in the parade and a group of ten kids were going to collect pennies for Right To Play. The "Ton of Pennies" initiative has been going since early June and to date 1,500lbs of pennies had been collected towards the goal of 2,000lbs. The previous week The Cochrane Eagle had included "paper bags" in their publication and asked the residents to fill them up and bring them out.

As we got moving, Dan Kroffat, announcer extraordinaire, encouraged people to hand over their pennies to the kids. Along the route the children brought back paper bags, plastic bags, and piggy banks full of pennies and other coins and notes. By the end of the parade the floor of the truck was full of coins.

It and been a long day and Sue and I returned home. I thought I'd check my emails and see if there was anything of interest. I noted I had one from Jason and I checked it out. It said "Sue won the trip.  Congratulations! Jason".

The trip is a year away so I'd better be on my best behaviour if I want to go.

Quote of the Day

"The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary"

Vince Lombardi

Hanging out with Jason from Downunder Travel and volunteers from Right To Play

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Next Events:

Marathon Quest: Book launch

• Saturday, Sept. 29th 2012. 1pm to 4pm.

• Location: Bentley's Books, Cochrane, Alberta

TriOil-Soccer Quest 42 (Quest #5)

• Friday Oct. 5th 6.00pm to Sunday Oct. 7th noon 2012
  

• Location: Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, Cochrane, Alberta
  

At 9.00pm on Friday September 21^st I was standing next to a large number "24" painted on the road on the Island of Rarotonga in the Pacific Ocean. It was raining and I had 100km to run. A small group of people stood on the side of the road and counted down "5,4,3,2,1" and I was off. This was the start to my fourth Quest and as I headed into the night, with my headlight throwing a dim spot on the road, I knew it was going to be a long night.

The Round Rarotonga Road Race is 31kms so I had to do three loops plus 7 kms to make the 100km. Every km was marked on the road and I soon passed markers "25" and "26". The rain was continuous and my socks and shoes became soaked. I knew this was going to cause big problems later on. I reached marker "0" after 45 minutes and I was feeling wet but good. Only three loops to go.

The island has a public bus system. On the front of the bus it says "Clockwise" or Anti-Clockwise". To be honest it really doesn't matter as there is on wrong way. All roads lead to Rome. There is another bus service that I had been told about: The Party Bus. The first one passed me at 11.00pm. This is the pub crawl bus. The strobe lights were flashing and techno pop was pounding out from the interior. This is actually a great idea as it stops drinking and driving.

I was told to be aware of the number of dogs. However I have to say that the island has the friendliest dogs I have ever met. They seem to practice "Adopt-a-Visitor". I had met several people who had had dogs befriend them. They weren't aggressive or pushy just friendly. I made a friend on my first loop at km 15. He trotted next to me for 20 minutes then turned around. I would meet him again on my next two loops.

I completed my first loop in 3hrs 50 mins and at the start point Val joined me. Val and Harold had signed up for Cook Island Quest 100 and had been fund raising for Right To Play. This would be Val's longest run, twice round the island, but she had been training hard. I was starting to slow down as my feet were turning to prunes and beginning to blister. Our objective was to get around the island, to the start line, by 5.30am the start of the official race but I knew this was slipping away. I told Val to go on but she stuck with me.

We arrived at the start line at 6.45am and everyone had gone. Val went ahead and I started to walk. My feet were fried and I was starting to fall asleep on my feet. Then an angel arrived. Her name was Toru and I had met her at a Rotary Club meeting the previous Wednesday. She saw the condition I was in and asked if I like a coffee and chocolate bar? I would run 100km for a coffee and chocolate bar. Soon the sugar and caffeine kicked in and I started to feel better.

As we continued walking around the final loop she picked bananas off the trees and feed me. She got me a coconut, made a hole in it and I drank the water. The rain continues and I was losing body heat big time. I was starting to shiver. I asked Toru if she had a jacket I could use and another miracle, she pulled a wind proof hoody out of her back pack. It was a little short in the arms but fitted around the body.

At 1.15pm we saw the "30" km marker on the road. Only one km to go. Thank heavens. As I shuffled across the finish line a small group of supporter cheered me in. I was given a flower lay, an engraved shell medal and another coconut to drink. Rarotonga is an amazing island with amazing people. Thank you.

Quote of the Day

"A true leader walks his talk"

Adity sarvjeet Bhalla

Enjoying coconut water during Cook Islands Quest 100 on Rarotonga

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Next Events:

Marathon Quest: Book launch

• Saturday, Sept. 29th 2012. 1pm to 4pm.

• Location: Bentley's Books, Cochrane, Alberta

TriOil-Soccer Quest 42 (Quest #5)

• Friday Oct. 5th 6.00pm to Sunday Oct. 7th noon 2012
  

• Location: Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, Cochrane, Alberta

Today was the accumulation of a huge effort by many people in Cochrane and area. The "Ton of Pennies" initiative had been the brain child of Dan Kroffat, Alex Baum and Jack Tennant. It kicked off in early May and the object was to raise one ton (2,000lbs) of pennies as a fund raiser for TriOil-Soccer Quest 42 and Right To Play. Many people stepped up to the plate, including Carol Scarrett and her gang from Redwood Meadows. In one event they collected almost 500lbs of coins.

The wrap up was held at ATB in Cochrane and the pennies were delivered to the bank in a chuck wagon with an RCMP and horsebacked cowboys guard of honour. The final weigh in was over 2,900lbs at a value of over $5,000. Ginelle Polini read a letter of appreciation from Johann Olav Koss, President and CEO of Right To Play and here it is:

On behalf of Right To Play I would like to thank the Town of Cochrane for their phenomenal support and belief in the power of sport and play to transform lives.

It's an honour to be a part of the success of the 'Ton of Pennies' campaign.  Congratulations to all Conchranites for collecting over 2,900 lbs valuing $5,000.  With the funds raised Right To Play will be able to reach 100 children through weekly sport and play activities for an entire year! This campaign would not have been possible without the vision of Dan Krofatt, Jack Tennant and Alex Baum - thank you for your leadership and dedication to this effort.

The Town of Cochrane has been a tremendous advocate for Right To Play and Martin Parnell's fundraising initiatives.  We are grateful to Martin and Cochrane for continuing to set their goals high and inspire individuals and communities across Canada to support our work around the world.

The "Quests for Kids" initiative, specifically TriOil - Soccer Quest 42, will support Right To Play programming in Benin helping to build essential life skills and better futures for children in one of the most disadvantaged areas of the world.

Thank you for all of your generosity!

Johann

All I can add is: Job Well Done.

Quote of the Day

"Experience tells you what to do - confidence allows you to do it"

Stan Smith

Ginelle Polini, Right To Play rep, reading out a letter of congratulations from Johann Koss, head of RTP, to the Town of Cochrane

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